smoking in 'Nam ...

[MORTARDUDE]

Just curious about something. I know how hard it is for some folks to quit smoking, and how easy it is for others. A friend of mine at work has been having problems with this for months now. Since cigs were free to the troops in 'Nam, thru the SP packs, a lot of folks started smoking that normally wouldn't have. When you went on an LP or AP in a small group was there no smoking allowed ? It was that way with us. What size unit would you have to have before smoking was ok night and / or day ? How hard was it to get over the urge to smoke when you couldn't ? I don't recall anyone using chewing tobacco or snuff while I was over there. Did you know any soldiers who might have used betel nut ? Yuk !! What did you trade your free cigs for besides boom-boom ? I just sold mine for MPC to other GIs. The Salems were the ones the Vietnamese really liked. I could get $ 5 for them. I have no idea why they liked them so much ? What other brands were in an SP pack ? How many cartons in one big box ? Did you Supply folks in the rear ever steal them ? Our Supply Sgt. went to jail because of this. Thanks for your help.

Larry

P.S. : Was anyone able to find Charlie by the snmell of his smoking ? How far will the smell carry in triple canopy jungle ? Did you know anyone in the rear who smoked reefers with heroin in them ? enuf questions for awhile ...

[Bill Farnie]

Andy,

Good questions.
When on LP or AP smoking was a no-no. Even on OP during the day one had to think twice about lightin' up.
When at a FSB at night smoking while you were on guard was also a no-no. If you weren't on guard you could go into the bunker.
In the field during the day just about everyone who smoked did. Even in company sized ops Charlie knew we were there no matter how hard you tried to be quiet. Since I didn't smoke myself , I didn't take any from the SP's but in the C-Rats there were small packs with four or five? cigs and I would trade them for peaches or apricots. No one in my platoon smoked reefer in the boonies but I don't know about any of the other platoons
I didn't even know of or hear of lacing a joint with heroin until I got back to the world and while stationed in Texas some guys were talking about it.
Sounded like a pretty dumb thing to do if you were a grunt.
Since we had little contact with the Vietnamese civilians I never got a chance to sell or trade with them but I'm sure that the people in the rear
sure did.
It was hard to smell cigarette smoke because of the awful smell of the rotting jungle so I can't say I ever smelt the enemy smoking.
Heard them laughing when they rolled granades down the hill at my platoon when we were pinned down on Hill 996 but that's another story for July 11th if I feel like going there then.

[1CAVCCO15MED]

Just about everyone smoked in my company. We were on a big fire base with civilians working on it so pot was available. I had to smoke cigarettes to do my job. I developed x-rays in a army blanket darkroom without a red light so I used a cigarette so I could see when the films were developed. To my knowlge I never saw a Salem except on one of those little tabletop shops the Vietnamese had. We had a PX and all they had was Kents. I quit smoking in 1972 and chewing in 2003. Chewing was by FAR the worst.

[reeb]

Well,

In 66/67/68/69 I personally didnt see any Salem, but alot of Kool and Winston.

We had to buy them from our ration card for $2 or $4 a carton, I forget. The beer was $2.40 a CASE, Now I remember that.

I didnt trade or sell anything, but bought the rations from the non smoker/drinkers. You might say I was Sgt Philco of the Navy vice the Air Force.

But the most popular of smoke in Nam that I cna remember is POT POT POT POT POT POT and the Beer was Schiltz ( still had the preservative on it ( for shipping over seas ) since the cans were still tim vice the aluminum.

Also alot of Hard Liquor and Wine.

Heck, we had to have something to do besides catch the " CLAP "

enough........

BTW, still smoke to this day !!!!!!!!!!!! 56 and dying !!!!!!!!!!